Overview
The 6th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was an infantry regiment organized in Ohio for short-term Federal service at the outset of the Civil War. Principally recruited from the Guthrie Gray Battalion, an independent military organization in Cincinnati, the regiment entered Union service in April and May 1861. It served under the United States in the Western Theater during the initial mobilization period following the outbreak of hostilities.
This unit is distinct from the 6th Ohio Infantry (Three Years’ Service).
Organization & Service
The 6th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) was enrolled on April 20, 1861, and mustered into United States service at Camp Harrison on April 27, 1861, with Companies H and K mustered in on May 10 and 12, respectively. The regiment was primarily composed of men from Cincinnati, drawn from the Guthrie Gray Battalion. After initial muster, the regiment moved to Camp Dennison for equipping and preparation for field service.
While the regiment was still being organized and equipped, President Lincoln issued a call for 300,000 men for three years’ service. The majority of the 6th Ohio’s members chose to reenlist for the longer term between June 6 and June 18, 1861, forming the nucleus of the subsequent three years’ regiment. Those who did not reenlist for the extended service were mustered out with their companies on August 21, 1861, at Cincinnati. The regiment’s three months’ term was thus largely spent in organization, training, and transition to longer service, with no major field operations recorded for this period.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
The 6th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) did not participate in any major campaigns or battles during its brief term of service. Its activities were limited to organization, training, and preparation for extended service.
Casualties
No significant casualties are recorded for the 6th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) during its period of enlistment. Available primary sources do not list losses in action or by disease for this term.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Colonel William K. Bosley
- Lieutenant Colonel Eliphalet Loring
- Major Alexander C. Christopher
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 6th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service), including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and company assignments for those who served during the regiment’s three months’ term.
To view the complete roster, visit the 6th Ohio Infantry (Three Months’ Service) Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I
- Ohio Adjutant General’s Report
- Dyer, Frederick H. Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
- Federal Publishing Company, The Union Army, Vol. 2 (1908)